Containing and accessing multiple web browsers

ABSTRACT

A container browser or a super browser stores browsers and enables a user to launch any stored web browser and display a designated web page from a preferred browser. This container browser can track and bookmark the browsers such that the browsers could be easily selected and initiated. The container browser could present the content in tabbed form, meaning that a tab that the user can click on will represent every open window. Once the user has designated a particular browser to display particular web page, then this information is stored in the container browser. Further accesses to that web site would be displayed using the designated web browser. Other designated web pages would be displayed on other designated web browsers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to utility patent application Ser. No.11/839,675 filed on Aug. 16, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and system for containing in onecomputer resource. More particularly, this invention relates to a methodand system for storing a set of web browsers in one computing resourceand accessing a selected web browser to retrieve and display a specificweb page wherein the selected web browser provides the optimum displayquality from the set of browsers contained in the computing resource forthe selected web page.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A Web browser is a software application that enables a user to displayand interact with text, images, and other information typically locatedon a Web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local areanetwork. Text and images on a Web page can contain hyperlinks to otherWeb pages at the same or different website. Web browsers allow a user toquickly and easily access information provided on many Web pages at manywebsites by traversing these links. Web browsers format HTML informationfor display, so the appearance of a Web page may differ betweenbrowsers. Web browsers communicate with Web servers primarily using HTTP(hypertext transfer protocol) to retrieve webpages. A web server is acomputer program that is responsible for accepting HTTP requests fromclients, which are known as Web browsers, and serving them HTTPresponses along with optional data contents, which usually are Web pagessuch as HTML documents and linked objects (images, etc.).

A Web page or web page is a resource of information that is suitable forthe World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser. Thisinformation is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may providenavigation to other web pages via hypertext links. Web pages may beretrieved from a local computer or from a remote web server. The webserver may restrict access only to a private network, e.g. a corporateintranet, or it may publish pages on the World Wide Web. Web pages arerequested and served from web servers using Hypertext Transfer Protocol(HTTP). A web page is a type of web document. Web pages may consist offiles of static text stored within the web server's file system (staticweb pages), or the web server may construct the (X) HTML for each webpage when it is requested by a browser (dynamic web pages). Client-sidescripting can make web pages more responsive to user input once in theclient browser.

With the constant emergence of new website content display technologies,not all web browsers are able to render their content as originallyintended by the web site's author. Many web browsers rely on plugins todisplay web content properly.

Consequently, a user's visual representation of web site between onebrowser and another can look very different depending on what thatbrowser has the capability to render. A common phrase seen on some websites is the phrase “this content is best viewed in Internet Explorer”.

As an example, the United States Patent and Trademark Office website(www.uspto.gov) displays images of patents. However, not all webbrowsers can adequately display these patent images. Therefore for auser to access the patent office web site and view the display images ofthe patents a user would need to be aware of the browser that the canbest display the patent images. The user would need to access thewebsite through the browser that best displays these pages.

The need to continually track the display capabilities of a web browserwith regard to displaying particular web pages can be a source offrustration for the user. This presents a level of frustration to theuser. Having to keep switching web browsers and remembering which sitelooks and works best in which browser needs to be addressed. Thereremains a need for a super browser wherein a user could launch aselected web browser through which a web page would be displayed. Thiscontainer browser could track the browsers and retrieve the browser tobe used to best view a website.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a container browser, or a super browser,from which a user can launch any web browser to display a web page. Thiscontainer browser can track and bookmark the browsers such that thebrowsers could be easily selected and initiated. The container browsercould be an application program that could be internally launched withinany web browser, such as brand name web browsers (Internet Explorer,Firefox. Netscape, etc . . . ). The container browser could present thecontent in tabbed form, meaning that a tab that the user can click onwill represent every open window. Each tab must contain the websitetitle as well as an icon to represent the web browser that it is beingviewed in.

Identifying web sites for inclusion in the container web browser is donein a different way than conventional methods. When a user goes to a taband chooses to identify or mark a particular web browser, the containerbrowser creates an internal entry to the container browser. This entrycan contain the website name, URL for the website, and the particularweb browser through which the web site can be viewed. The user can alterall these features in a container browser entry at any given timethrough a management interface. When the user goes to retrieve aspecified browser, the container browser opens a tab and views the sitewith the stored web browser. The container browser can be smart enoughto detect web browsers installed in a web site as well as allow for theuser to specify a web browser path.

In the present invention, the method for retrieving a web site browserthrough which to display a website involves identifying a web browserfor a desired website by determining whether the accessed web site iscurrently included the container browser. If it is included, then theuser is queried to determine if the user desires to make changes to thestored information. A change could be to select another browser throughwhich the user desires to display a website. If the web site does nothave an entry in the container browser, then the user is queried toselect a preferred browser to display the particular web page. When theuser selects a website, the method creates a record or entry containinginformation about that browser and associating that browser with theparticular web site.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a personal computing device,which may be used in implementation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a display of a general configuration of the connectionpatterns for communication network, which includes web sites and usersthat can view the web sites through web browsers.

FIG. 3 is a display of a computer device screen or desk top thatcontains various icons used to activate various programs on thecomputing device including used to activate web site browsers from thecomputer device.

FIG. 4 is a web site screen in accordance with the present inventiondisplaying a browser option that can allow a user to designate aspecific web browser through which the user desires to view the website.

FIG. 5 is a web site screen in accordance with the present inventiondisplaying a browser option and a drop down listing of websites, witheach web site having a designated web browser through which a user canview the web site.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the steps involved in designating a specificbrowser through which a user can view a website.

FIG. 7 is a set of records created and contained in accordance with thepresent invention that contains information including a web site name,web site URL and a web browser for displaying the web site.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of the steps involved in retrieving a web pagein accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system for marking webbrowsers to be associated with specific web sites. The marked webbrowsers will be used to view the associated web site. The intent ofthis concept is to provide a web browser that more optimally displaysthe specified web site.

With reference now to FIG. 1, there is depicted a pictorialrepresentation of a data processing system that includes computingdevice 100 which may be used in implementation of the present invention.Although the invention is described in terms of the device illustratedin FIG. 1, other types of electronic devices capable of transmitting andreceiving information can be used in the implementation of the presentinvention. As seen in FIG. 1, computing device 100 includes processor110 that preferably includes a graphics processor, memory device andcentral processor (not shown). Coupled to processor 110 is video display120 which may be implemented utilizing either a color or monochromaticmonitor, in a manner well known in the art. Also coupled to processor110 is keyboard 130. Keyboard 130 preferably comprises a standardcomputer keyboard, which is coupled to the processor by means of cable140. Also coupled to processor 110 is a graphical pointing device, suchas mouse 150. Mouse 150 is coupled to processor 110, in a manner wellknown in the art, via cable 160. As is shown, mouse 150 may include leftbutton 170, and right button 180, each of which may be depressed, or“clicked”, to provide command and control signals to computing device100. While the disclosed embodiment of the present invention utilizes amouse, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any graphicalpointing device such as a light pen or touch sensitive screen may beutilized to implement the method and apparatus of the present invention.Upon reference to the foregoing, those skilled in the art willappreciate that computing device 100 may be implemented utilizing apersonal computer.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a communication network configurationthrough which a user can access and display a website. Shown is anetwork 200 that contains several websites (202, 204, 206, 208 and 210).As previously discussed, a web page is a resource of information thatexists on a communication network 212 such as the Internet or World WideWeb and can be accessed through a web browser 216. The computing device100 (see FIG. 1) contains a software browser program. When activated,the browser program establishes communications with a web page viewedthrough the communication network. In most applications, the initial ordefault web page comes when a user initially establishes a connection tothe communication network. This web page is usually associated with adefault web browser for that user.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a conventional computing device videodisplay or computer screen 300. This screen has a bottom display section302 that displays various command options. In this example, clicking the‘start’ icon produces a list of commands from which the user can select.The main portion of the screen also contains several icons such as 304,306, 308, 310, and 312. These icons can provide access and activation ofseveral application programs stored in the computing device. Icons 304,306, 308, 310 and 312 can activate web browser programs stored on thecomputing device. The clicking of a web browser can establish access tothe communication network. In conventional processes, when this occurs,any web page is opened in that browser. With the present invention,clicking any browser icon could activate the container browser. Theinitial or default browser page could be one associated with thecontainer browser or could be another default browser that the user canspecify.

FIG. 4 shows a web page 414 of the present invention incorporating thecontainer browser concept of the present invention. Similar to manycomputer screen displays for application programs, screen 400 containsare several lines of information and options. Line 402 has informationtells the name of the web site and the name of the browser through whichthe web site is displayed. Line 404 has option icons ‘←’ and ‘→’ thatenable a user to scroll back to previous web sites or forward to otherweb sites. In addition, line 404 also contains a locator of the UniformResource Locator “URL” for the current web site that is displayed on thescreen. Line 406 contains icons that indicate various commands that theuser can perform. One of these commands can be a ‘Browser’ command thatactivates the container browser program. The display can contain asection 408 with links to other web sites. The web page 414 alsocontains a search option 410. This search feature enables the user tosearch for other web sites based on search criteria this is included inthe search space.

FIG. 5 illustrates a list of stored of web pages stored in a containerbrowser in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the computerscreen contains a default web page 500 that the user sees when thecomputer device 100 (see FIG. 1) is initially connected to thecommunication network via a default browser. The web page contains thepreviously discussed information lines 502, 504 and 506. Line 506contains the address or URL of the default web page (the initial webpage that comes up when initially connected to the communicationnetwork). Clicking an accessed web sites icon of the down arrow 510 canproduce the pull down display 508 containing a list of websites thathave been accessed by the user. This list of websites could also be froma set of web sites that are stored in the container browser. Thecontainer browser will contain a list of marked websites and thepreferred browser to display the web site contents. The list containsthe URL for a web site and the designated web browser for each web sitein field 512.

The method of the invention has two aspects. The initial aspect of themethod is to establish a specific browser to display a specific website. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the steps involved in designating aspecific browser through which a user can view a website. The initialstep in this method is to activate the container browser, step 600.Referring to FIG. 4, this activation can be by clicking the ‘Browser’icon in line 406. Clicking this icon sends a signal that initializesthis method implemented by the container browser program. Thisactivation will occur when a web site is currently being displayed onthe computer screen. At this point, step 602 determines whether a recordalready exists for that web site in the container browser. If thedetermination is that there is that a record does exist for that website, then step 604 determines whether the user wants to alterinformation contained in the record for that web site. The user may haveinstalled an additional web browser and now wants to display the website on that newly installed browser. Step 606 begins the process ofaltering the record information. Step 608 sends a query to the user toselect a browser from the list of available browsers on the system. Oncethe user has selected the new browser, step 610 amends the existingrecord for that web site with the new information. This amended recordis then stored in the container browser in step 616.

Referring back to step 602, if the determination is that a record doesnot exist in the container browser for the current web site, then themethod moves to step 612 where the user is queried to select a webbrowser. At this point, the user would select a web browser from a listof available browsers. In some systems, the selected web browser madenot be available. The desired browser may not be installed on thatsystem. In this case, the user can be prompted to have the desiredbrowser installed or to select one of the already installed browsers.Once the user has selected a web browser, step 614 creates a record inthe web site container for that web site. This created record is thenstored in the container browser for that site.

FIG. 7 is a set of records 700 created and contained in the containerbrowser storage location. These records contain three fields. The firstfield 702 describes the name of the web site. The second field 704contains the URL for the web site. The third field 706 contains thespecific and designated web browser to display that web site. Theserecord entries can exist for each site that a user accesses or just forthe web sites that the user designates.

FIG. 8 describes the second aspect of the method of the present when auser desires to display a web page. In this method, in step 800, thereis an initial detection of a user's attempt to establish a connectionwith a communication network. This initial access attempt is madethrough some browser software on the computing device. As part of thisconnection, an initial or default web page is display on the computerdevice screen. This initial page can be a default page of the browsersoftware. Many browsers allow the user to change the initial web page ifthey prefer. Step 802 identifies an initial or default browser. The usercan designate the container browser as the default browser. Therefore,when the user could click a desktop icon for the container browser togenerate the connection attempt through the super browser. In othercases, the user may prefer a different default browser. Whicheverbrowser the user chooses, the step 804 displays the initial home pagefor that browser.

At this point, the user has access to the communication network. Next,the user will attempt to open a specific web page on the network. Thereare various ways that a user has to access a web page. For example, theuser can access the web page by inputting the URL for the web page orperforming a search and accessing an entry from the search results. Step806 detects this attempt to access the specific web page. This accessattempt can also activate the container browser. Step 808 thenidentifies the web page that the user is attempting to access anddetermines whether this web page is also contained in the containerbrowser. This identification process can be a matching of the web pageURL with the URLs of entries stored in the container browser. If thedetermination is that the web page that the user is attempting to accessis not already in the container browser, then method moves to step 810which retrieves and displays the web sites in the default browser. Step812 queries the user to give the user an opportunity to display the webpage in a preferred browser. This step automatically initiates theprocess of establishing a specific browser for a specific web sitesimilar to the process described in FIG. 6. If the user at this pointprefers a specific browser, then that browser is identified and a recordthis web site with that browser is stored in the container browser. Thismethod then moves to step 818, which displays the web page in thedesignated browser. In the alternative, the user may want to display theweb page in a preferred browser, but does want to save this web site andpreferred browser information in the container browser. In this case,the user can decline to store the browser information in step 814.Referring again to step 808, if the determination is that the web siteis already stored in the container browser, then the process moves tostep 816, which retrieves the web site using the preferred browser. Atthis point, step 818 displays the web page in the designated browser.

One point to note is that many web sites have multiple pages. Forexample, the patent office web site has links to many pages referred toas web pages with the web site. The present invention can also enable auser to designate a particular web page within the web site that can bedisplayed with a particular web browser.

It is important to note that while the present invention has beendescribed in the context of a fully functioning data processing system,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processes of thepresent invention are capable of being distributed in the form ofinstructions in a computer readable medium and a variety of other forms,regardless of the particular type of medium used to carry out thedistribution. Examples of computer readable media include media such asEPROM, ROM, tape, paper, floppy disc, hard disk drive, RAM, and CD-ROMsand transmission-type of media, such as digital and analogcommunications links.

1. A method for displaying a web page which is accessed through acommunication network and displayed through a specifically identifiedweb browser program that enables a user to view and interact with text,images, and other information contained in the accessed web page, saidmethod comprising: a processor of a computing device creating aplurality of records in a container browser, each record comprising aweb site locator of a web site and a web browser identifier of a webbrowser associated with the web site, said web browser being used forretrieving a particular web page from the web site and displaying theparticular web page on a screen of the computing device when thecomputing device is connected to the web site via the communicationnetwork; after said creating, said processor using a first web browserto retrieve a particular web page from a first web site and display theparticular web page on the screen of the computing device; responsive tosaid using the first web browser, said processor determining whether ornot a first record of the plurality of records exists in the containerbrowser, wherein the first record comprises a web site locator of thefirst web site and a web browser identifier of the first web browserassociated with the first web site for retrieving the particular webpage from the first web site and displaying the particular web page onthe screen of the computing device, and wherein said determining whetheror not the first record exists in the container browser comprisesdetermining that the first record exists in the container browser;responsive to said determining that the first record exists in thecontainer browser, said processor determining whether or not the userdesires to replace the web browser identifier of the first web browserin the first record in the container browser with a web browseridentifier of a second web browser for retrieving the particular webpage from the first web site and displaying the particular web page onthe screen of the computing device, wherein said determining whether ornot the user desires to replace the web browser identifier of the firstweb browser in the first record with the web browser identifier of thesecond web browser comprises determining that the user desires toreplace the web browser identifier of the first web browser in the firstrecord with the web browser identifier of the second web browser;responsive to said determining that the user desires to replace the webbrowser identifier of the first web browser in the first record in thecontainer browser with the web browser identifier of the second webbrowser, said processor prompting the user to select the web browseridentifier of the second web browser; responsive to said prompting theuser, said processor receiving the web browser identifier of the secondweb browser from the user; responsive to said receiving the web browseridentifier of the second web browser, said processor amending the firstrecord by replacing the web browser identifier of the first web browserwith the web browser identifier of the second web browser in the firstrecord in the container browser, which results in the second web browserbeing associated with the first web site for retrieving the particularweb page from the first web site and displaying the particular web pageon the screen of the computing device and which further results in thefirst web browser no longer being associated with the first web site forretrieving the particular web page from the first web site anddisplaying the particular web page on the screen of the computingdevice; and after said replacing, said processor using the second webbrowser identified in the first record to retrieve the particular webpage from the first web site and display the particular web page on thescreen of the computing device.
 2. The method of claim 1, said methodfurther comprising: after said using the first web browser and beforesaid determining that the first record exists in the container browser,said processor activating a container browser program, wherein saidcontainer browser program performs: said determining that the firstrecord exists in the container browser, said determining that the userdesires to replace the web browser identifier of the first web browserin the first record in the container browser with the web browseridentifier of the second browser, said prompting the user to select thesecond web browser, said receiving the web browser identifier of thesecond web browser, and said using the second web browser to retrievethe particular web page from the first web site and display theparticular web page on the screen of the computing device.
 3. The methodof claim 2, wherein during said displaying the particular web page ofthe first web site using the first web browser, the screen of thecomputing device displays a Browser icon; wherein said method furthercomprises: after said retrieving and displaying the particular web pageof the first web site using the first web browser and before saidactivating the container browser program, said processor detecting thatthe Browser icon has been clicked; and wherein said activating thecontainer browser program is in response to said detecting that theBrowser icon has been clicked.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein duringsaid displaying the particular web page of the first web site using thefirst web browser, the screen of the computing device comprises a singlehorizontal line that displays, at a same horizontal level, a totality oficons consisting of a File icon, an Edit, icon, a Go icon, a Bookmarkicon, a Tools icon, a Help icon, and the Browser icon.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein each record in the container browser consists of adescription of a name of the web site in a first field of each record,said web site locator of the web site in a second field of each record,and said web browser identifier of the web browser associated with theweb site in a third field of each record, and wherein the first, secondand third fields of each record are different fields of each record. 6.The method of claim 1, said method further comprising: after said usingthe first web browser, said processor detecting a selection of anaccessed web sites icon on the displayed particular web page; andresponsive to said detecting the selection of the accessed web sitesicon, said processor generating, on the particular web page of the firstweb site, a pull down display that identifies the web sites in thecontainer browser, wherein each line of the pull down displaycorresponds to a record of the container browser, and wherein each lineof the pull down display consists of both said web site locator of theweb site and said web browser identifier of the web browser associatedwith the web site.
 7. A system comprising a computing device, saidcomputing device comprising a processor and a computer readable memorydevice coupled to the processor, said memory device containing softwarecode which upon being executed by the processor implements a method fordisplaying a web page which is accessed through a communication networkand displayed through a specifically identified web browser program thatenables a user to view and interact with text, images, and otherinformation contained in the accessed web page, said method comprising:said processor creating a plurality of records in a container browser,each record comprising a web site locator of a web site and a webbrowser identifier of a web browser associated with the web site, saidweb browser being used for retrieving a particular web page from the website and displaying the particular web page on a screen of the computingdevice when the computing device is connected to the web site via thecommunication network; after said creating, said processor using a firstweb browser to retrieve a particular web page from a first web site anddisplay the particular web page on the screen of the computing device;responsive to said using the first web browser, said processordetermining whether or not a first record of the plurality of recordsexists in the container browser, wherein the first record comprises aweb site locator of the first web site and a web browser identifier ofthe first web browser associated with the first web site for retrievingthe particular web page from the first web site and displaying theparticular web page on the screen of the computing device, and whereinsaid determining whether or not the first record exists in the containerbrowser comprises determining that the first record exists in thecontainer browser; responsive to said determining that the first recordexists in the container browser, said processor determining whether ornot the user desires to replace the web browser identifier of the firstweb browser in the first record in the container browser with a webbrowser identifier of a second web browser for retrieving the particularweb page from the first web site and displaying the particular web pageon the screen of the computing device, wherein said determining whetheror not the user desires to replace the web browser identifier of thefirst web browser in the first record with the web browser identifier ofthe second web browser comprises determining that the user desires toreplace the web browser identifier of the first web browser in the firstrecord with the web browser identifier of the second web browser;responsive to said determining that the user desires to replace the webbrowser identifier of the first web browser in the first record in thecontainer browser with the web browser identifier of the second webbrowser, said processor prompting the user to select the web browseridentifier of the second web browser; responsive to said prompting theuser, said processor receiving the web browser identifier of the secondweb browser from the user; responsive to said receiving the web browseridentifier of the second web browser, said processor amending the firstrecord by replacing the web browser identifier of the first web browserwith the web browser identifier of the second web browser in the firstrecord in the container browser, which results in the second web browserbeing associated with the first web site for retrieving the particularweb page from the first web site and displaying the particular web pageon the screen of the computing device and which further results in thefirst web browser no longer being associated with the first web site forretrieving the particular web page from the first web site anddisplaying the particular web page on the screen of the computingdevice; and after said replacing, said processor using the second webbrowser identified in the first record to retrieve the particular webpage from the first web site and display the particular web page on thescreen of the computing device.
 8. The system of claim 7, said methodfurther comprising: after said using the first web browser and beforesaid determining that the first record exists in the container browser,said processor activating a container browser program, wherein saidcontainer browser program performs: said determining that the firstrecord exists in the container browser, said determining that the userdesires to replace the web browser identifier of the first web browserin the first record in the container browser with the web browseridentifier of the second browser, said prompting the user to select thesecond web browser, said receiving the web browser identifier of thesecond web browser, and said using the second web browser to retrievethe particular web page from the first web site and display theparticular web page on the screen of the computing device.
 9. The systemof claim 8, wherein during said displaying the particular web page ofthe first web site using the first web browser, the screen of thecomputing device displays a Browser icon; wherein said method furthercomprises: after said retrieving and displaying the particular web pageof the first web site using the first web browser and before saidactivating the container browser program, detecting that the Browsericon has been clicked; and wherein said activating the container browserprogram is in response to said detecting that the Browser icon has beenclicked.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein during said displaying theparticular web page of the first web site using the first web browser,the screen of the computing device comprises a single horizontal linethat displays, at a same horizontal level, a totality of iconsconsisting of a File icon, an Edit, icon, a Go icon, a Bookmark icon, aTools icon, a Help icon, and the Browser icon.
 11. The system of claim7, wherein each record in the container browser consists of adescription of a name of the web site in a first field of each record,said web site locator of the web site in a second field of each record,and said web browser identifier of the web browser associated with theweb site in a third field of each record, and wherein the first, secondand third fields of each record are different fields of each record. 12.The system of claim 7, said method further comprising: after said usingthe first web browser, detecting a selection of an accessed web sitesicon on the displayed particular web page; and responsive to saiddetecting the selection of the accessed web sites icon, generating, onthe particular web page of the first web site, a pull down display thatidentifies the web sites in the container browser, wherein each line ofthe pull down display corresponds to a record of the container browser,and wherein each line of the pull down display consists of both said website locator of the web site and said web browser identifier of the webbrowser associated with the web site.
 13. A computer program product,comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readablesoftware code stored therein, said software code which upon beingexecuted by a processor of a computing device implements a method fordisplaying a web page which is accessed through a communication networkand displayed through a specifically identified web browser program thatenables a user to view and interact with text, images, and otherinformation contained in the accessed web page, said method comprising:said processor creating a plurality of records in a container browser,each record comprising a web site locator of a web site and a webbrowser identifier of a web browser associated with the web site, saidweb browser being used for retrieving a particular web page from the website and displaying the particular web page on a screen of the computingdevice when the computing device is connected to the web site via thecommunication network; after said creating, said processor using a firstweb browser to retrieve a particular web page from a first web site anddisplay the particular web page on the screen of the computing device;responsive to said using the first web browser, said processordetermining whether or not a first record of the plurality of recordsexists in the container browser, wherein the first record comprises aweb site locator of the first web site and a web browser identifier ofthe first web browser associated with the first web site for retrievingthe particular web page from the first web site and displaying theparticular web page on the screen of the computing device, and whereinsaid determining whether or not the first record exists in the containerbrowser comprises determining that the first record exists in thecontainer browser; responsive to said determining that the first recordexists in the container browser, said processor determining whether ornot the user desires to replace the web browser identifier of the firstweb browser in the first record in the container browser with a webbrowser identifier of a second web browser for retrieving the particularweb page from the first web site and displaying the particular web pageon the screen of the computing device, wherein said determining whetheror not the user desires to replace the web browser identifier of thefirst web browser in the first record with the web browser identifier ofthe second web browser comprises determining that the user desires toreplace the web browser identifier of the first web browser in the firstrecord with the web browser identifier of the second web browser;responsive to said determining that the user desires to replace the webbrowser identifier of the first web browser in the first record in thecontainer browser with the web browser identifier of the second webbrowser, said processor prompting the user to select the web browseridentifier of the second web browser; responsive to said prompting theuser, said processor receiving the web browser identifier of the secondweb browser from the user; responsive to said receiving the web browseridentifier of the second web browser, said processor amending the firstrecord by replacing the web browser identifier of the first web browserwith the web browser identifier of the second web browser in the firstrecord in the container browser, which results in the second web browserbeing associated with the first web site for retrieving the particularweb page from the first web site and displaying the particular web pageon the screen of the computing device and which further results in thefirst web browser no longer being associated with the first web site forretrieving the particular web page from the first web site anddisplaying the particular web page on the screen of the computingdevice; and after said replacing, said processor using the second webbrowser identified in the first record to retrieve the particular webpage from the first web site and display the particular web page on thescreen of the computing device.
 14. The computer program product ofclaim 13, said method further comprising: after said using the first webbrowser and before said determining that the first record exists in thecontainer browser, said processor activating a container browserprogram, wherein said container browser program performs: saiddetermining that the first record exists in the container browser, saiddetermining that the user desires to replace the web browser identifierof the first web browser in the first record in the container browserwith the web browser identifier of the second browser, said promptingthe user to select the second web browser, said receiving the webbrowser identifier of the second web browser, and said using the secondweb browser to retrieve the particular web page from the first web siteand display the particular web page on the screen of the computingdevice.
 15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein duringsaid displaying the particular web page of the first web site using thefirst web browser, the screen of the computing device displays a Browsericon; wherein said method further comprises: after said retrieving anddisplaying the particular web page of the first web site using the firstweb browser and before said activating the container browser program,detecting that the Browser icon has been clicked; and wherein saidactivating the container browser program is in response to saiddetecting that the Browser icon has been clicked.
 16. The computerprogram product of claim 15, wherein during said displaying theparticular web page of the first web site using the first web browser,the screen of the computing device comprises a single horizontal linethat displays, at a same horizontal level, a totality of iconsconsisting of a File icon, an Edit, icon, a Go icon, a Bookmark icon, aTools icon, a Help icon, and the Browser icon.
 17. The computer programproduct of claim 13, wherein each record in the container browserconsists of a description of a name of the web site in a first field ofeach record, said web site locator of the web site in a second field ofeach record, and said web browser identifier of the web browserassociated with the web site in a third field of each record, andwherein the first, second and third fields of each record are differentfields of each record.
 18. The computer program product of claim 13,said method further comprising: after said using the first web browser,detecting a selection of an accessed web sites icon on the displayedparticular web page; and responsive to said detecting the selection ofthe accessed web sites icon, generating, on the particular web page ofthe first web site, a pull down display that identifies the web sites inthe container browser, wherein each line of the pull down displaycorresponds to a record of the container browser, and wherein each lineof the pull down display consists of both said web site locator of theweb site and said web browser identifier of the web browser associatedwith the web site.